A Brief Introduction to Mixed Methods Systematic Review (MMSR)

Abstract

Systematic reviews provide important empirical evidence for healthcare providers to make the best clinical decisions. While qualitative research provides subjective information on the human experience, quantitative research may be used to provide quantified evaluations of interventions. To overcome the lack of objectivity in qualitative research and of context considerations in quantitative research, recent efforts have focused on developing mixed-method approaches that combine meta-analysis (quantitative systematic reviews) and meta-synthesis (qualitative systematic reviews). This new idea may help conceptualize studied phenomena more thoroughly. However, the typology remains inconsistent and the currently proposed approaches lack unified guidance and principles. In this paper, "mixed methods systematic review", a term promoted by the Joanna Briggs Institute, is used to indicate the newly developed systematic review. The use of systematic review in quantitative research and in qualitative research and the use of mixed methods systematic review are introduced chronologically, with an emphasis on procedures, examples, and quality appraisal tools. The concepts and concrete procedures for integrating results from different research method are presented for researchers and healthcare providers to allow them to better understand this approach and explore related phenomena more thoroughly.